File photo. Jose Manuel Ribeiro—AFP
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday urged international donors and financial institutions who had pledged billions to help build a climate-resilient Pakistan to make good on their commitments as soon as possible to help citizens rebuild their lives.
Addressing an informal briefing to the General Assembly on progress in relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and prevention one year after the devastating floods that left a third of Pakistan underwater, he recalled that billions were pledged during the Geneva Conference that presented the Resilience, Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF). “Billions were pledged—but the vast majority was in loans,” he said, noting Pakistan was still awaiting much of this funding and delays were undermining people’s efforts to rebuild their lives.
“I call on donors, [and] on international financial institutions to make good on their commitments, and put the money they have promised the 4RF on the table as soon as possible,” he said, adding the International Partners Support Group was working with Islamabad to channel resources to areas where attention was most needed. “A monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress will also be critical,” he said. “Pakistan needs and deserves massive support from the international community,” he stressed, noting the country was responsible for less than 1 percent of greenhouse gas emissions but its people were 15 times more likely to die from climate-related impacts than people elsewhere.
“Pakistan is a double victim—of climate chaos, and of our outdated and unjust global financial system that prevents middle-income countries from accessing much-needed resources to invest in adaptation and resilience,” he regretted.
Last year’s climate change-induced floods impacted 33 million people, leaving around 1,700 people dead and eight million displaced. “More than eight million people in flood-affected areas lack access to clean water,” noted Guterres, adding millions still depended on humanitarian aid.
Stressing that Pakistan’s economy was in enormous difficulties, with food inflation approaching 40 percent, he said the floods had devastated agriculture, raising prices and reducing incomes. “Some eight million additional people have been pushed into poverty; and millions more have been forced to move in search of work,” he said. Of the Floods Response Plan jointly launched by the U.N. and Pakistan, Guterres said 69 percent of the $816 million required for immediate aid and protection had been funded.
“I have long warned that climate chaos is knocking on everyone’s door,” said the U.N. chief. “Today, it is beating that door down, from Libya to the Horn of Africa, China, Canada and beyond. And Pakistan is a chronicle of climate chaos foretold,” he said, emphasizing that no country in the world could afford “climate breakdown.”
Emphasizing that a shift to renewables was imperative, he questioned how much suffering the world—particularly most vulnerable countries like Pakistan—would endure before emissions were cut. “My Acceleration Agenda and Climate Solidarity Pact show the way forward.,” he said, stressing the international system must support vulnerable countries.
“The Loss and Damage Fund must be operationalized, so that it can provide grant-based finance without increasing debt. The Green Climate Fund must be fully replenished. And developed countries must deliver the $100 billion, and double [climate] finance for adaptation and resilience,” he said
“Pakistan is a litmus test for climate justice,” he said. “The countries that contributed most to global heating must contribute most to righting the harm it has done. Starting in Pakistan; and starting today,” he added.